


Strike a nerve

by sarcasmismyweapon



Series: Learning Curve [20]
Category: Naruto
Genre: 300k reward fic, ANBU - Freeform, Adorable, Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Chunin, Cute, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Iruka's barriers, Life lessons fic, LifeLessons fic, M/M, Major Character Injury, One-Shot, chakra depletion, reward fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 19:04:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17330648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcasmismyweapon/pseuds/sarcasmismyweapon
Summary: Kakashi wakes up in the hospital only to find himself already in trouble and he hasn't even been awake for five minutes. Lucky for him it appears he's not the only one who's going to be getting lectured that day.





	Strike a nerve

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is folk! I managed to get it done! The 300k reward fic which almost made 10k in word length full of fluff and hurt/comfort for all your little hearts desires. I know you wanted it to be Kakashi/Iruka and it is, but its a softer romance than in your face. It felt more genuine that way, I hope you all like it. 
> 
> Another reminder, this is going to be the only one-shot that will be happening for a while because of my new year's resolution to clear my backlogged stories. So, prepare yourself to only be getting the weekly Life Lessons chapter rather than other postings along-side it. I'm posting two other stories right now in other fandoms and working on my backlogged story so I don't have time for one-shots right now.

Kakashi already knew that he had to be in the hospital, the type of groggy he felt wasn’t brought about by a head wound. He was used to those, this was a dull heavy feeling that made him want to return to sleep and was brought about by drugs. He was quite familiar to this as well but he knew how to fight against it. Forcing himself to wake even if it would only be for a brief while, the Anbu frowned as he struggled to get his eyes to open. Finally, bits of light filtered through as his eyes opened a hair, bit by bit his eyes were able to open until he found himself staring at the white ceiling of what must be his hospital room. 

Giving a small sigh, he idly wondered just how bad things were for him to have needed a hospital this time. He couldn’t quite recall all that had gone on after that last attack, he was pretty sure he’d caught himself on a branch on his way down. His arm was sore which leaned towards that assumption, his side felt bruised which went along with the many times he remembered hitting it against varying parts of the tree he had slid down. Kakashi was beginning to hate that tree...Wherever it was. His teammate must have dragged him home because Kakashi stoutly didn’t remember that trip and yet he could tell he was back in Konoha.    
If he had been taken hostage he wouldn’t be warm, let alone not tied down. Seeing as he warm and pleasantly free of any types of bindings, he had to be home. 

Tilting his head to the side to see if he was lucky enough to have a window to determine what time it was, Kakashi froze. He wasn’t as alone as he thought he was.   
A wry smirk came to his face when he saw that one of the reasons he was warm was because there was another person in the bed with him. Shifting his arm he carefully wrapped it around Iruka, embracing the Chunin who was curled up around him like he was Iruka’s own personal teddy bear. He supposed that wasn’t too far from the truth, Iruka had always had a penchant for clinging when upset.    
Kakashi couldn’t imagine how this had gone over with the Chunin, but at least he wouldn’t have to wait to see him. Rubbing the other ninja’s back, Kakashi mused that he might be able to go home as soon as tomorrow given how he was presently feeling. It must have been chakra depletion which had kept him there. Kakashi’s head jerked down when he felt Iruka shift against him, a deep sigh leaving the Chunin and giving Iruka away as far as the man being awake. 

Smirking Kakashi couldn’t help but tease. “You’re a little big to be climbing into my hospital bed with me.”   
Iruka jerked back, eyes wide before he sighed in relief and collapsed back against Kakashi with a groan, his arm that was wrapped around the man tightening just a hair. 

Chuckling Kakashi petted the man’s hair. “It’s alright I won’t tell the nurses on you.” He vaguely heard what sounded like Iruka saying. ‘ _ you’re not funny _ ’ but it was muffled in his hospital gown. Smiling to himself, the Anbu waited for Iruka to come up for air he knew it wouldn’t be too long. Sure enough, barely a minute had passed before Iruka shifted and stared up at him.   
“How long have you been awake?”   
“About five minutes.”   
Iruka sighed. “I need to go get the doctor.” Iruka rose as if to leave the bed only to make an oomph sound when he found himself pulled back onto the bed once more laying against Kakashi. Frowning the Chunin canted his head back to stare at the smirking man.   
“Not funny.”   
“What? I can’t convince you to stay a bit longer? I’m hurt I thought you missed me.”   
Iruka glared. “Don’t even try to guilt trip me right now, I’m mad at you.”   
Kakashi blinked in surprise at the sudden hostility in the Chunin’s voice. “Why?”   
Groaning Iruka leveraged himself back upright and twisted to sit facing the Anbu. “Because!”   
Kakashi rolled his eyes. “Yes, because the best answer there is ou-”   
“You’ve been unconscious for a week!”   
Kakashi shut his mouth, he hadn’t been expecting that. Giving the Chunin a resourceful look he replied. “I’m sorry I didn’t know.”   
Iruka huffed even as he crossed his arms over his chest only to uncross them in order to wave a hand around the room while shouting at the man. “Of course you didn’t know, you’ve been unconscious!”   
Kakashi smirked as the Chunin seemed to get madder at him for apologizing. “So what’s the verdict?”   
Iruka shook his head as Kakashi tried to distract him from lecturing him. “I’ll go get your doctor.” Iruka slid from the bed before Kakashi could hope to get a hold of him and headed for the door. Iruka paused just before he reached it and turned to give the Anbu a steely look before pointing at the man. “Stay!”   
Kakashi raised his hands, Iruka glared at him a moment longer before storming out of the room. Kakashi winced when the door slammed behind the Chunin, it would seem he had some apologizing to do. Taking a moment to try and re-catalog what was wrong with him, Kakashi hummed when he noticed that his chakra levels were quite low. He supposed chakra depletion was the culprit for his prolonged stay at the hospital, but he was awake now and he was sure with a bit of convincing he could get Iruka to take him home. Kakashi looked up when the door to his room came open once more, a doctor was followed closely by Iruka who gave an irritated huff upon seeing Kakashi had listened to him.   
“Hello, Hatake-san.”   
“Hey.” He gave a wave to the doctor who was smiling back at him.   
The man glanced towards Iruka before stating. “Perhaps you could take a lap around the ward.”   
Iruka glared back at the med-nin but didn’t say a word. Kakashi found himself raising a brow at the Chunin’s silent refusal. This wasn’t like Iruka at all, frowning he turned his sights on the doctor who had given a resigned sigh.   
“So?”   
The man smiled. “Well, you’re awake.”   
“I am.”   
“That’s a good thing.” The med-nin chuckled before tacking on. “For a while, we weren’t sure if you would.”   
Ah. Now Iruka’s anger made sense, he sent the Chunin an appraising look but Iruka glared back at him. Yep, still angry. Looking back at his doctor Kakashi made sure to enforce.   
“I feel fine...Tired, but fine.”   
“Really?” The doctor seemed amused to hear such a thing.   
Kakashi hated it when people were amused by him, well that wasn’t strictly true he should say he hated it when med-nin were amused. That never ended well for him, turns out he wasn’t wrong.    
“Hatake-san, if chakra depletion were the only thing keeping you here I think we could both agree that you’d be out of that window in a blink of an eye.”    
Already knowing he was in deep with Iruka, Kakashi decided to be honest. “Most likely, but I’m assuming there’s something else?”   
The man nodded. “You’ve got a nerve block right now so you’re not aware of it, but you’re in need of surgery and we wished to wait in order to make sure you were strong enough. Your chakra reserves were dangerously low and surgery just wasn’t an option at that time.”   
Okay. Iruka was going to murder him, Kakashi didn’t even bother to glance the Chunin’s way for fear of seeing the dark glare he could literally feel being sent his way.    
“So surgery?”   
The man nodded. “I want to make sure that your chakra is stable before we do anything, provided there aren’t any fluctuations over the next 24 hours we’ll proceed.”   
“Sounds good, so what am I having done?” He probably should have lead with that, but seeing as he had feeling in both his arms Kakashi figured it had to be his legs that were the issue.   
“You’re left leg suffered compression syndrome, we’ve put in a stint to release the pressure but in order to correct the damage, you need surgery. You broke your femur at the same time, so the nerve block is doing double duty for you right now.”   
Kakashi grinned well at least that explained why he wasn’t in any pain. “Great.”   
A cough and a subtle glance back towards the Chunin by the doctor had Kakashi changing his previous words. “Right, so what should I do in the meantime? Rest?”   
The doctor seemed far to amused when he nodded. “Rest would be my recommendation, provided all goes well we could perform surgery tomorrow night.”   
Kakashi nodded. “What kind of recovery am I looking at?” Kakashi didn’t really care, but he knew that it would come in handy when dealing with Iruka because the Chunin was no doubt going to have plenty of things to say to him about all of this.    
“A few weeks worth.” The doctor didn’t expand on anything more, it was almost as if he knew that giving Kakashi a timeline would see the Anbu pushing it. Maybe he did, Kakashi wouldn’t put it past Iruka to have told the man not to say anything.   
Sighing the Anbu gave a nod and accepted his fate. “Alright then, I’ll just be here resting...Doctors orders and all.” He sent a smile towards Iruka as if to say ‘See I’m being good.’ Based on the glare he was still receiving the Chunin didn’t care.   
Chuckling the med-nin made his way towards the door, giving Iruka a small smile. “Do try not to cause any additional damage to my patient.”   
“No promises.” Iruka muttered all while not taking his eyes off of Kakashi.   
Kakashi smiled at the Chunin who was still glaring at him even as the med-nin left. When the door was shut, Kakashi spoke first knowing what kind of lecture was headed his way and wanting to get ahead of it.   
“I’m sorry.”   
Iruka snorted even as he walked back towards the man’s bed, obviously not impressed by the hasty apology that was being offered to him.   
“I am.” Kakashi reiterated. “I didn’t know, I don’t even remember breaking my leg.”   
Iruka didn’t say a word as he took a seat in the chair by the window rather than climbing back onto the bed with Kakashi. The Anbu frowned as the Chunin distanced himself, something that Kakashi knew hurt them both. Kakashi knew there had to be a reason for it though, if he was just angry Iruka would have yelled a bit and still come back onto the bed with him, this was something else.   
“Iruka.”   
Iruka refused to look at him, instead staring out the window as he whispered. “You almost died.” It was soft, barely audible but Kakashi heard it.   
“I’m sorry.”   
Iruka shook his head as if that wasn’t enough, truthfully Kakashi didn’t think it was. That didn’t mean that he was going to stop saying it though, at least not until Iruka believed him. Before he could get the change to plead his case, Iruka spoke up.   
“They-They weren’t even sure if you’d wake up.”   
“I heard.” Kakashi nodded. “Chakra depletion is dangerous that way.”   
Iruka whipped his head around to glare at the Anbu. “I know! I’ve heard about it for years, experienced it myself and constantly berated you for it. Yet this still happened!”   
Kakashi sighed. “Iruka, I can’t just stop using chakra in the middle of a battle.” He knew the Chunin understood that it was just that his emotions were overriding the more logical side that would have told the Chunin that fighting without chakra was paramount to death.    
Iruka turned to stare back out the window, seemingly ignoring him once more. Taking a deep breath, Kakashi prepared himself for a long day of apologizing and doing anything he could to make the Chunin feel better for having been put through the wringer by him.    
“I’m assuming you’ve been here since they brought me in?”   
Iruka gave a brisk nod all the while refusing to glance his way.   
“A week ago?”   
Another nod.   
“Have you been home at all? To sleep or eat?” Iruka was silent. Sighing Kakashi muttered. “At least tell me someone came to try and get you to do those things.”   
Iruka was silent a moment before admitting. “Yes. They tried”   
Kakashi heard the hesitation in the Chunin’s voice, that was suspicious enough but it was the tone of the Chunin’s answer that had him questioning. “What’d you do?” Because he knew Iruka’s guilty voice and that was it.   
Iruka frowned, glanced towards him for the first time since he’d take his seat at the window and opened his mouth to say something only to be cut off by Kakashi.   
The Anbu pointed back at the Chunin before warning him. “And don’t try and tell me you didn’t do something, I know better. That was your guilty voice which means you did something that you’re not proud of and are trying to avoid talking about.”   
Iruka clicked his mouth shut and glared back at the Anbu, Kakashi raised a brow prepared to wait out the other man. Knowing Iruka as he did it would only be a short time before he fessed up to whatever it is he's done, Iruka had a horrible habit of not being able to lie to him. It infuriated the Chunin and made Kakashi’s life all the easier for it.    
Iruka had turned to stare out the window once more, biting his lip as he struggled with all that had happened since he’d been informed of Kakashi being at the hospital. The seemingly endless hours of waiting, hoping and waiting. The visits from the med-nins all showing lackluster improvement on the Anbu’s part alongside no proof of him waking anytime soon. Their fear of doing surgery despite the need for it, for fear of making things worse or even losing him on the table.    
Iruka took a few deep breaths to calm his racing heart, staring out the window at the beautiful day outside Iruka finally admitted. “I was angry.”   
“I don’t see how that’s surprising given what you must have gone through, no one would blame you for being angry at me or at the situation in general.”   
Iruka shook his head. “I know, they didn’t...Well, at first.”   
“They?” This was news, normally if Iruka was going to lash out it was at a single person, he felt too guilty to be an asshole to multiple people at the same time. It just wasn’t in him to cause that much trouble.   
Iruka nodded his head sharply towards the man’s question.    
“Alright, and what did you do to them?”   
Iruka made a face before shaking his head, Kakashi sighed and tried to get answers in another manner. “Can I know who them is?”   
Iruka snorted at the man’s horrible attempt to get him to talk. “No.”   
“Oh I can’t can I?” Kakashi chuckled amused to think that Iruka believed he could just avoid telling him who he’d pissed off. Sooner or later he’d find out. “You do realize that sooner or later I’ll find out, not only who they were but what you did.”   
Iruka shrugged as if that was the least of his worries, it most likely was but the Chunin still admitted. “It’ll be later.”   
Giving an annoyed huff Kakashi pointed out to the man. “Iruka, I’m a day away from having surgery, you’ve got maybe two days before I can do anything after that and that’s IF no one else shows up to where I can question them in lue of you answering me.”   
Iruka was quiet a moment longer before replying in a resigned barely audible voice. “No one’s going to show up.”   
Kakashi tilted his head. “Say that again?”   
“No one’s going to show up.” It was still soft, barely audible though it had risen just a few octaves.   
Frowning Kakashi couldn’t help but state. “I’m sorry I thought I just heard you say no one was going to show up?”   
Iruka faced him to send him a glare. “Oh, so that is what you said.” Kakashi nodded before he retorted with some bite. “What in the hell has been going on for no one to come and check in on us?”   
“Lang-”   
“DON’T!” Kakashi pointed a sharp finger at the man once more. “I Just woke up a half an hour ago and so far I’m not impressed with what’s been going on while I was out of it, so explain this to me. Why would no one be coming to check up on you, let alone me? I mean I get them not giving a damn about me seeing as I’ve been sleeping for a week or so, but you’ve been awake and aware correct?”   
Iruka gave a nod.   
“Right, so why wouldn’t someone be coming to check in with you or on you for that matter.”   
Iruka bit his lip before admitting. “I might have gotten angry-”   
“You already said you were angry.” The Anbu retorted in a gruff tone.   
Iruka gave a nod before expanding on that. “I also might have been angry enough to punch someone.”   
Kakashi snorted not only because it was funny but because it wasn’t such a big deal. If that was what was really bothering Iruka then the Chunin really had been upset from his apparent week unconscious. “Not the first time you’ve done that Iruka, I don’t see what’s so big about that-”   
“I also might have sealed the room.”   
Kakashi blinked a few times before he chuckled. “You locked someone in a room?” He laughed uproariously. “Like what some proverbial time out?” He snickered at the notion of one of their friends being locked in some broom closet or whereever Iruka felt was a good spot to seal someone.   
Iruka sighed at Kakashi’s amusement to what he’d done and sent the Anbu a glare. “No.” He shook his head as he tried to make him understand. “This room.”   
The Anbu stared back at the Chunin a moment, confused as to how Iruka sealing the room after punching someone was so catastrophic. It wasn’t like sealing someone inside his room was all that bad, but it also didn’t make much sense. Iruka seemed to notice because he gave a great sigh before fessing up.   
“Hawk was trying to drag me home.”   
“Alright, I owe him a drink.”   
Iruka flinched causing Kakashi to raise a brow at the action.   
“I punched him.”   
Kakashi snorted and shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, I owe him two drinks.”   
Iruka glanced towards the door as if he half expected someone to come in as he was talking, no one did. “And then I sealed the room so no one could get in.”   
Kakashi hummed. “Okay...So I can see how that might be annoying to him and the others, but I’m not seeing what the big deal is here.” He shrugged. “I mean, you got a freebie on an Anbu, big deal.”   
Iruka groaned as he put his head in his hands.   
Frowning at the man’s apparent frustration, Kakashi pleaded with Iruka to explain things to him so he could get a grasp of what all had gone on while he was unconscious.

“Iruka, come on you gotta explain this to me and seeing as I can’t get out of the bed or use chakra to actually make you explain it you need to do that on your own.”   
Iruka’s head jerked up out of his hands as he sent Kakashi a scathing look. “Don’t even try it.”   
Kakashi chuckled and raised his hands in defeat before pointing out to the stressed Chunin. “I just said I wouldn’t calm down alright? I’m not going anywhere.” He promised the upset man.   
Iruka swallowed a few times, giving a small nod when the Anbu agreed to not trying to leave his bed let alone use chakra he didn’t have.    
“So, you punched Hawk and sealed the room. Then what?”   
Iruka glanced towards the door. “I kept it sealed.”   
“For how long?” Kakashi knew it couldn’t have been that long, Iruka knew better than to push himself by keeping up a barrier. He’d gotten better over the years and knew his limits, both in how big a barrier and how long he could hold it. Still, with the size of the room and how long he’d been there, he knew that what had happened was that Iruka had waited Raidou out before dropping the barrier. That wouldn’t have taken more than an hour or two so he wasn’t overly concerned by Iruka stating he kept it up for a time.   
“A day.”   
Kakashi blinked and shook his head. “Umm...I think I just heard you wrong.”   
Iruka shook his head back and forth for the confused Anbu.   
“A day a day?”   
Iruka huffed at the man’s horrible attempts to verify what he’d just heard. “Yes, a day.”   
“The whole day or lik-”   
“A DAY!” Iruka shouted. “Full rotation of the sun and moon Kakashi.”   
“Alright.” The Anbu nodded. “That’s...A long time.” Kakashi frowned as he realized what that meant and he didn’t know what else to say to that, Iruka had never held a barrier that long before. He glanced back at the Chunin as if wanting an explanation on that little tidbit of information.   
Iruka shrugged.   
“Really? A shrug, I don’t get anything else? How about an explanation?”   
“What’s there to explain?”   
Groaning Kakashi sent the Chunin a putout look even as he waved a hand in the air. “I don’t know maybe how you managed to do that without collapsing?”   
Iruka didn’t bother to correct the man instead choosing to lick his lips a bit to moisten them and then sheepishly he replied. “I...Might have lied.”   
“Lied? Oh, so it wasn’t a full day? Why li-”   
Iruka shook his head even as he played with the end of his shirt, a nervous habit that he never quite grew out of. Kakashi watched him warily, nothing good came of Iruka being nervous like that. Sometimes Kakashi hated knowing the man’s tells, he was quickly finding out that this was one of those times.    
“Iruka.”   
Swallowing the Chunin found his voice to press forward in his explanation. “The last time I went on that mission in Waterfall.”   
“Mmmhmm.” Kakashi nodded. “The one where you ended up being carried home by your teammates and spent three days in the hospital because you decided it would be a great idea to use that unstable water jutsu you’d been working on? That mission?”   
Iruka winced as the Anbu replied back to his question with a sharp bite in his words because of him bringing up the memory of that mission. Iruka ignored the glare he was getting by staring at his fingers which were still fiddling with the bottom of his shirt, coiling it around fingers only to straighten it out and do it all over again. “I might have lied about what caused the chakra depletion.”   
“You lied.” Kakashi mused aloud before he connected the dots. “Wasn’t a water jutsu was it?” Kakashi asked with a tilt of annoyance in his voice. “You said you wouldn’t do-”   
“I know.” Iruka said in a tense voice as he looked up and told the man. “I know, but we were kinda in a bind and it just made sense...I mean it worked an-”   
“You were in the hospital for three days.” Kakashi reminded him. “Meanwhile we all thought it was because of that stupid water jutsu you’d been playing around with.” He huffed before daring to ask. “How’d you convince your teammates to lie?”   
Iruka smiled. “You don’t want to ask that.” He gave him a sly grin.   
“Wonderful.” Kakashi harped even as he crossed his arms over his chest and sent a scathing look at his lover. “So how long did you hold a barrier there?”   
“About eight hours...Or so?”   
Kakashi’s eyes widened when he heard what the Chunin had said, then he glared well on his way to reading the man the riot act only to wince when Iruka pointed a sharp finger at him. 

“You have no right to be angry over that! I was fine! My teammates took care of me and we’d already discussed what would happen when I let the barrier fall, there wasn’t any surprises for them to deal with. YOU, on the other hand, chose to use your chak-”   
Kakashi didn’t feel up to getting lectured about his own misuse of chakra seeing as he’d had no choice while on a mission and Iruka most certainly had. That was for later, instead of being bogged down by the logistics of Iruka’s previous lie Kakashi focused on the now.   
“So you held the barrier for a day.”   
Iruka snapped his mouth shut when it became apparent that he couldn’t ignore what had been going on since Kakashi was brought back rather than the unsightly memory of the other mission. Kakashi raised a brow, silently urging the Chunin to speak up. Iruka gave a disgruntled look.    
“Yes, I held it for a day.”   
“And you let no one inside?”   
Iruka shook his head. “ It’s not like I couldn’t hear them because believe me I could hear them.”

Kakashi chuckled, he had no doubt that there were quite a few choice words being shouted through the barrier by their loved ones.

Iruka shrugged. “Hawk left soon enough and your doctor just peeked his head in a few times to ask if there was any change, he didn’t even notice the barrier.”   
Kakashi hummed before stating. “I need a better doctor.”   
Iruka snorted. “That’s not funny.”   
“Hawk left and didn’t come back?” That wasn’t something that Kakashi thought the other man would do if anything he expected him to go cool off and return to teach the Chunin a lesson. If Raidou didn’t feel up to that he would have just gotten Shikaku or one of the other boys to try and talk to him.   
“He came back, he wasn’t too happy to see the barrier there. He thought I put it up once I saw him.”   
“And he doesn’t realize that you never let it down.” Kakashi mused with a shake of his head. “And since then?”   
Iruka shrugged and then admitted in an annoyed tone. “He went and tattled to Himiko after the second time.”   
Kakashi chuckled at the notion that Iruka considered it tattling even though they weren’t kids anymore. Still, he didn’t disagree that was pretty much what Raidou had done rather than stick it out himself.    
“And?”   
Iruka looked out the window in order to avoid the other man’s gaze while he answered his question. “She’s not too happy with me either.”   
Sighing Kakashi had to ask because he hadn’t failed to notice how Iruka was avoiding his eyes now. “Is anyone happy with you right now?”   
Iruka shook his head all the while staring out at the village.   
“You locked out what surmounts to our entire family didn’t you?”   
“Yeah.”   
“Did you punch anyone else?” He asked in a resigned fashion, Iruka was going to have just as much apologizing to do as he would and that hadn’t been what Kakashi had expected to happen when he woke up over an hour ago.    
Iruka was silent.   
“Wonderful.” Kakashi tilted his head back into the pillow. He heard Iruka shift in the chair, twisting his head he found that Iruka had laid his head down on his arm which was in the window seal. Effectively staring out the window rather than at him, Kakashi wasn’t sure if that was because he assumed Kakashi was mad at him or if he was just tired of talking about it all. Either way, it looked like it would cause the man to have a severe kink in his neck should he stay that way.   
“Come here.”   
Iruka tilted his head towards him, staring back at him warily.   
“Come on.” Kakashi smiled while patting the bed.   
Sighing Iruka got up from the chair he’d contorted himself into and came to sit on the edge of Kakashi’s bed. Kakashi didn’t waste any time in lacing his hand into one of Iruka’s while he tried to make the Chunin feel a bit better about their situation.   
“You know I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”   
“I know.”   
“And you know that even if I had known, I probably wouldn’t have changed anything.”   
Iruka chuckled at the Anbu’s candor. “Yeah, I know.”   
“So we both agree that there’s really no reason for you to-”   
“Nice try.” Iruka smiled when the Anbu tried to wheedle his way out of trouble. “I’m still mad at you.”   
Sighing the Anbu shrugged. “Was worth a shot.”   
Shaking his head Iruka leaned forward to kiss him, giving him a smile when he pulled back a bit. “You’re hopeless.”   
“You love me anyway.”   
Iruka rolled his eyes as he made to straighten himself out only to glare at Kakashi when the man wrapped his arm around the back of him and held him in place.   
“Kakashi.”   
“Hmm?” He played ignorant of what was wrong even as he used his other hand to reach up and pull the hair tye out of the Chunin’s tight ponytail, he saw Iruka grimace as it was pulled out.   
“Giving yourself a headache again, can’t tie these things that tight.”   
Iruka sighed. “I’ve been a bit stressed.” Iruka bit out with a look.   
Kakashi smiled even as he threw the hair tie aside, no doubt missing his intended target and launching it onto the floor. Iruka rolled his eyes only to groan when Kakashi’s fingers carded through his hair. Letting his head come forward to crash into Kakashi’s shoulder the Chunin muttered.   
“You’re still in trouble.”   
“Okay.” Kakashi smirked to himself even as he continued to stroke the man’s head, relieving some of the built-in tension Iruka had been under for the last week. “Quick question.”   
“Hmm?”   
“You’re not keeping a barrier up now are you?” He didn’t think the man was, but Iruka had gotten good at hiding when he put one up and he’d been sitting by the wall long enough to have done it five times over.   
Iruka shook his head.   
“Good.” Kakashi smiled as Iruka leaned more into him, no doubt unaware of that fact now that some of the tension was leaving him.   
“Did you pass out afterward?”   
Iruka hummed. Rolling his eyes Kakashi nudged the Chunin. “Did you pass out afterward? When you put the barrier up for that day?”   
“Maybe.” Iruka sighed as pulled back prepared to leave the mans bed, Kakashi tightened his arm around the Chunin refusing to allow Iruka to get up if the Chunin was attempting to flee. Iruka huffed at the other man’s actions, giving Kakashi a look that clearly stated that he couldn’t keep him there. Kakashi smiled back at him as if he was up to the challenge.   
“Let me up.”   
“Nope.”   
The glare returned, but Kakashi paid it no mind as he instructed the Chunin. “Come lay down, you’re tired and it’s obvious I’m not about to go back into a coma so you might as well relax.”   
“That’s not funny.” Iruka bit out.   
“I’m sorry.” Kakashi reiterated. “Now will you come lay back down?”   
Giving a big sigh, Iruka gave a nod straightening himself out when Kakashi’s arm released him thus allowing the Chunin to shift around to actually come up onto the bed with Kakashi. Laying beside the Anbu, Iruka gently wrapped an arm around the man’s waist as he adjusted himself on the bed.   
“OW!”   
Iruka pulled his hand back as if burned and sat up quickly when Kakashi muttered. “Watch the leg.”   
Iruka blinked a moment before glaring when his mind caught up, Kakashi smiled only to wince when Iruka smacked his chest. “That’s not funny.”   
Kakashi laughed. “You fell for it.”   
Huffing Iruka fell back against him. “Jerk.”   
Snickering Kakashi wrapped his arm around Iruka once more. “I can’t feel a thing.”   
“Yeah on your leg, I can rectify that for you. The nerve block won’t cover your head.”   
“But you won’t.”   
Iruka grumbled. “No.” He smiled and hid it into the man’s gown when Kakashi kissed the top of his head. “I’m still mad at you.”   
Kakashi smiled into the man’s hair. “I know.” At the very least he knew that he’d made the Chunin relax for a moment.   
“And doing that didn’t help you any.”   
“I know, but it was fun.”   
Iruka pulled back to smile up at him. “It was mean, I’ve been worried sick about you.”   
Kakashi gave a nod. “And now you know I’m alright, I mean I wouldn’t be making you think you hurt my broken leg that I can’t feel if I was actually hurting right?”   
Iruka glared back at him. “Knowing you, you might.”   
“I’m hurt.”   
“No you aren’t, you have a nerve blocker.” Iruka sassed before laying back down. “Go to sleep, you’re supposed to be resting.”   
“I am resting, I haven’t gotten out of the bed have I?”   
“Keep it that way or I’ll make you stay in it.”   
Snorting Kakashi rubbed the man’s back. “I think we’ve had enough barriers for a while.”   
“I’ll do it.” Iruka promised with a small bit of bite in his words. “I might after the surgery just for my own peace of mind.” The Chunin mused aloud, it wasn’t a bad idea given how horrible a patient Kakashi normally was.   
Kakashi snorted as if knowing what the man was already plotting against him, not that he thought the man was wrong in that. Still, he didn’t plan on giving the Chunin any more trouble, he’d worried Iruka enough but he did point out.

“You can’t keep it up, not for long anyway.” Kakashi frowned when he realized that he was wrong about that, that Iruka could keep a barrier up, apparently for an entire day. He didn’t like the idea of the Chunin holding his barrier for a whole day again.   
“Smaller barrier, I could probably keep it up for a few days.” Iruka informed him passively. “Might be interesting to try.” The Chunin teased.   
“Don’t.” Kakashi said seriously. “The last thing I want is to wake up with you in the bed next to me.”   
Iruka tilted his head up, a wry grin on his face. “Then behave or no promises.”   
“Fine.” Kakashi sulked. “But I’m telling Himiko.”   
Iruka chuckled into the man’s gown when the man taunted him with such a childish thing, they both knew that Kakashi wouldn’t do that. Mostly because she’d round on him and ask what he was doing to make Iruka misbehave in the first place.    
“You know you’re going to have to apologize to Hawk and the others.”   
Iruka nodded against him in lue of actually speaking.   
“And you know a good time to do that might be when I’m in surgery.”   
Iruka snorted before calling the man out. “You’re just saying that so you won’t have to hear it all, let alone be told you’re an idiot for getting hurt in the first place.”   
Kakashi smiled when Iruka caught him. “True, but you know you still need to do it and they will come around sooner rather than later, they were probably giving you some time since I’d been out so long, but word will reach them now that I’m awake.”   
Kakashi smiled when he felt Iruka nod against his chest once more, rubbing the Chunin’s back Kakashi couldn’t help but state.   
“I don’t think they’re going to blame you Iruka, things were bad and you were scared.”   
“I hit Hawk.”   
Chuckling as he was once again reminded of what his lover had done to the other Anbu, Kakashi pointed out to him. “That was a freebie.” He felt as well as heard Iruka’s own laughter before the Chunin muttered. “That doesn’t work and you know it.”   
“Eh, it might this time.”   
“Yeah well, I don’t think they’re going to be so forgiving about the barrier thing...Or the other stuff.”   
“Other?”   
Iruka was silent a moment when he realized what he’d just said. “You’re supposed to be resting.”   
“Nice save.” The Anbu retorted dryly. “They’re going to tell me what happened you realize.”   
“Later.”   
He couldn’t fault Iruka for that, it would happen later and wasn’t that just annoying. Kakashi ignored the truth of that for the moment in lue of questioning the man.   
“Are you going to allow them to wait with you?”   
“While you're in surgery?”

“Yes Iruka, while I’m in surgery.” Kakashi laughed as if there was another time the Chunin was expecting to be waiting around the hospital.

Iruka sighed. “I guess.”   
“You should, you’ve been here far too long on your own, you have to take care of yourself if you’re to have any hope of keeping me in a bed.”   
Iruka chuckled. “I can ju-”   
“No barriers.” Kakashi rounded on the Chunin. “I don’t want to have to call Hawk or Raccoon to come drag you into the hospital because you pass out at home.”   
“I wouldn’t.”   
“You might, you’ve already done too much and I don’t want you making things worse for yourself. When’s the last time you ate something? Or got some decent sleep?”   
Iruka smiled into the man’s shirt, figures that he’d be so worried about Iruka even when he’s laid up in the hospital waiting to have surgery after spending a week solid in a chakra-depleted coma.    
“I got some sleep earlier when I was in bed with you.”   
“How long?”   
“An hour or two.”   
Kakashi snorted at the man's weak defense to not taking care of himself. “Yeah, try again.”   
Rolling his eyes Iruka muttered. “I ate breakfast.”   
The Anbu glanced around to locate the clock in the room, finding it he hummed.   
“The clocks wrong.”    
Smirking at the obvious lie, Kakashi chuckled and shook his head. “Nice try.”   
“Hospital food sucks.” Iruka countered.   
That had the Anbu laughing mostly because it was a reasonable argument. “Yeah, I think I’ve heard that from you before, a few times.”   
“You agree with me.” He quickly pointed out.   
“I do.” Kakashi readily agreed, not hiding the fact that he refused to eat the stuff. “But that doesn’t mean you have to eat it, you could go get some food and bring it back or you know...How crazy would it be for you to go home, sleep a bit and then get real food?”   
“Don’t push your luck.” Iruka groundout through clenched teeth.   
“Fine.” Kakashi muttered in defeat, he couldn’t force Iruka to leave his side. However, he could make stipulations.   
“I want you to promise me that if no one shows up before I go into surgery that you call one of them, I want you to eat. I don’t expect you to sleep, not until I’m out of surgery at least.” He knew better than to put such a lofty goal on the Chunin’s shoulders. It would be pointless seeing as Iruka would just point out the times that he’d waited up for him.   
“Kakashi, I’m fine.” He tilted his head back to smile at the worried Anbu. “Really, I’m okay.”   
Kakashi shook his head. “Okay isn’t good enough.”   
“Well, it’s all you’re liable to get for a while.”   
“I could summo-”   
“I can make them put a nerve block in your arm.” Iruka rounded on him before tacking on. “And we both know I’m not afraid of putting up another barrier to stick you to this bed.”   
They glared at each other, neither willing to give an inch since they both felt the other was wrong.   
“Have someone with you and food, that’s the deal or I do it.”   
Iruka grimaced at the idea of his lover summoning either of the two Anbu he knew were angry with him at the moment before countering. “I eat before you go in.”   
“Someone with you and food.” Kakashi reiterated firmly.   
Iruka’s face pinched together as Kakashi refused to give an inch in their argument and what was worse was that Iruka knew that the man had more sway in this. Iruka couldn’t really stop him from using his tattoo, not unless he physically restrained him.   
“You’re not supposed to use chakra.” He pointed out, it was a weak argument and Iruka kenw it but he had nothing else to really draw on.   
Kakashi rolled his eyes. “Iruka, it doesn’t take any chakra to do it, you know this. It’s barely a flicker and it doesn’t keep taking chakra. It’s like lighting a match.”   
Iruka pouted. “That still counts as chakra use.” The dour look he received almost had the Chunin sighing in defeat, but he tried valiantly one last time to get the Anbu to see things his way. “Kakashi-”   
“Have someone with you and food or I summon someone right now.” He bit out sharply.   
Iruka buried his face in the man’s hospital gown. “Mean.”   
Smirking Kakashi chuckled at the age-old response that the man had used since he was a kid. “So what’s it going to be?” He couldn’t help but taunt the man.   
Iruka sighed. “Does ramen count?”   
Kakashi laughed at the small rebuttal the Chunin was trying to issue. “Sure.”   
“Any other stipulations?” Iruka countered with a miffed expression when he glanced up at the Anbu.   
Kakashi thought about it a moment. “I don’t think so, who are you going to have stay with you?”   
Iruka shrugged. “Does it matter?”   
“Well normally I’d say no, but with how you’ve stated the weeks gone it might be beneficial to have someone level-headed who isn’t likely to rip you a new one while you’re worried about me...At least until you hear that I’m alright.”   
“Meaning?” Iruka asked with a cautious tone.   
Kakashi smiled at him, prompting Iruka to frown. “What?”   
A clearing of a throat had Iruka tensing, he glared at Kakashi before twisting about to see the masked figure at the end of the bed. Groaning as he let his head crash into Kakashi’s chest the Chunin muttered into the cloth.   
“Goddammit.”   
“Language.”   
Iruka waved a half-hearted hand towards the Anbu even as he called. “Go away.”   
Kakashi snorted alongside their friend, shaking his head Kakashi smiled at the other Anbu who walked to stand beside the bed opposite of Iruka. Kakashi made him promise. “Stay with Iruka when I go in for surgery would you?”   
“Kakashi.” Iruka bit out.   
“Oh and make sure he eats something.” He tacked on with a grin.   
The Anbu chuckled. “Sure, when do you go in?”   
“Now.” Iruka muttered as he glared up at Kakashi with the promise of pain in his eyes.   
Kakashi frowned. “Mean.” He retorted before turning his attention once more to Shikaku. “Tomorrow night.”   
The man nodded. “I think I can manage that.” He sent a look towards Iruka. “Provided someone does-”   
“Oh, there won’t be any barriers.” Kakashi gave Iruka a look that could have made a missing-nin think twice about their actions.   
Iruka gave a disgruntled look back at his lover before giving the other Anbu a glance. Raccoon folded his arms across his chest, waiting.   
“No barriers.” He said in a weak voice.   
Raccoon nodded in an approving way. “Good.”   
“Oh, but I did promise him that he could eat ramen.”   
Iruka snorted. “Sure that’s the part you remember.”   
Kakashi chuckled as he pulled Iruka once more against him from where the Chunin had leveraged himself up, Iruka didn’t put up a fight but rather snuggled against the man. He stared at Raccoon a moment before giving a sigh, closing his eyes the Chunin muttered.   
“Can this wait until tomorrow?”   
“Sure kid.” Shikaku smirked beneath his mask and shook his head when Kakashi gave him a curious look. Kakashi frowned but nodded when Shikaku made the Anbu sign for later, well so long as he was getting answers he’d be patient and it appeared no one was in a rush to talk about what had been going on.   
“I take it your sleeping here again?” Shikaku questioned the Chunin.   
“Yes.”   
“Alright then, I’ll come back tomorrow afternoon and wait with you, I’ll pick up some ramen on my way here.” He sent Kakashi a look when he said that, ensuring that the man knew that his other criteria would be met.   
“Sounds great.” By his tone, it wasn’t great, but neither of the other men commented on it.   
“Glad to see you among the living.”   
Kakashi chuckled. “Me too, though to be fair I wasn’t really aware of not being here.”   
“Never are.” Shikaku shrugged. “That’s why you’re always late.”   
That earned a snort from Iruka who remained silent after reacting, his eyes still closed ignorant to the look both men sent his way. Kakashi reached up and started carding his fingers through Iruka’s hair once more while striking up a conversation with his old friend.   
“So...What have I missed?”   
Shikaku rolled his eyes. “Not much, been boring around here.”   
Kakashi chuckled at the man’s dry tone, it was obvious he wasn’t impressed by the question. More than likely because he didn’t wish to get into the thick of it while Iruka was still awake. He’d have plenty of time to talk to Kakashi after his surgery and they both knew it. Kakashi was just eager to know exactly what Iruka had been up to while he’d been asleep. It had to be something good if the Chunin was under the assumption that none of them would be coming to the hospital let alone reacting to the sight of the Anbu has he had.   
“Well, I should be out of here in no time.”   
That earned him twin snorts of amusement, Kakashi glared at Shikaku before jostling Iruka. “Behave.”   
Iruka snorted again. “You’re the one in the hospital.” The Chunin pointed out from where he lay against the man all without looking up at him.    
Kakashi frowned, he couldn’t retort against that, but luckily for him, he had friends. Shikaku didn’t seem to have any problems backing him up by pointing out to the Chunin.   
“And you almost were.”   
Iruka tensed. “Was not.”   
Kakashi sighed. “So you did pass out.”   
“No.” Iruka muttered as he looked up at Kakashi with a shake of his head, as he tried to defend himself against Raccoon’s implicating words. “I didn’t.”   
Shikaku rolled his eyes before informing Kakashi. “They aren’t sure, he was in bed with you when he went comatose for a few hours. He woke up before any of us could get around to checking on him and then he put up the damn barrier again.”   
Kakashi glared down Iruka, the Chunin wisely chose not to meet his eyes as he seemed intent on examining Kakashi’s hospital gown. 

The Chunin replied in a passive tone. “That’s not proof.”   
Shikaku chuckled at the boy's weak defense. “I’d say it’s proof enough with how high strung you’ve been, I don’t believe for a minute that the nurse could have gotten the drop on you if you’d been awake.”   
Kakashi sighed. “Iruka how’s your cha-”   
“I’m fine.” The Chunin bit out before glaring over at Raccoon. “And I said later.”   
The Anbu tilted his head a bit. “You better watch it kid.” His own tone held a sternness to it that saw Iruka huffing and burying his head once more against Kakashi. Kakashi sighed, reaching up to rub his head as if he had a headache, he sent his long-time friend an apologetic look. Shikaku shook his head, clearly stating that he didn’t blame him for the kid’s behavior. Knowing Shikaku, he most likely didn’t even blame Iruka for his own behavior.   
“Well, this has been an interesting day.” Kakashi chuckled.   
Shikaku shook his head. “How long have you been awake?”   
“Just an hour or so.”    
Shikaku gave a nod. “They didn’t say when they sent word.” He shot Iruka a look despite the Chunin not being aware of it before giving Kakashi his attention long enough to sign in Anbu. ‘He told the nurse not to summon.’   
Kakashi glared down at the Chunin’s head before Shikaku coughed and shook his head. ‘Later.’   
“I’m getting tired of that.”   
“Hmm?” Iruka glanced back up at him. “Tired of what?”   
Kakashi sighed. “Nothing, he’s glaring at me.”   
Iruka snorted even as he glanced over to Raccoon. “Glare harder, he might learn something.”   
The Anbu chuckled at the boy’s dry retort to his lover's fake complaint against him, Iruka laid his head back down before uttering. “You’re not resting, you’re supposed to be resting.”   
“Neither are you.” Kakashi countered.   
Iruka huffed. “I’m not the one having surgery tomorrow.”   
Shikaku shook his head as he watched the pair go back and forth. “Why don’t you both get some sleep?” He mediated the two.   
“Because we’re stubborn.” Kakashi shrugged earning him a chuckle from Iruka.   
“I already knew that.”   
Kakashi shrugged. “Then you shouldn’t really be surprised, I mean you’ve known me for forever. I’d hope you weren’t still surprised by me.” He glanced down to Iruka. “Then again you’ve known him for just about as long and he still surprises you.”   
Iruka chuckled as the Anbu taunted their friend.   
“I can request they sedate you for being unruly.” Shikaku countered passively.   
“I said I’d glue him to the bed.”   
“And I said no barriers.” Kakashi pointed out in a biting tone.   
Iruka huffed and ordered the man. “Go to sleep or I will.”   
“You seem to be forgetting that I have a fellow Anbu standing next to me and he’ll do things for me.” Kakashi said with amusement.   
Iruka canted his head back with a smirk. “And you keep forgetting that he can’t touch me if I don’t let him.”   
“Again, why don’t you both sleep.” Shikaku muttered in a tired voice. “Lord knows it would save us all some headaches.”   
Iruka glared back at the Anbu. “Because I’m not tired.”   
“Bullshit.” Kakashi laughed. “You’ve got to be if you’ve only slept two hours.”   
Shikaku’s glare tightened on Iruka, but the Chunin glared back before correcting Kakashi. “I said two hours this morning, not overnight.”   
Kakashi tilted his head. “How many hours did you get overnight?” He asked shrewdly.   
Iruka was silent a moment.   
“That’s what I thought.”   
Iruka snorted. “I’m thinking...I woke up a few times cause of the night checks.” He shook his head. “Maybe four? I think four.” He smiled back at Kakashi. “Which makes six and that’s about normal for me so ha.”   
Kakashi smirked. “You think you’re so cute, that’s six hours of interrupted sleep.”   
“No-”   
“Boys.” Shikaku cut in sharply, gaining their attention. “Go to sleep.” He sent a look to Iruka on purpose. “Both of you.”   
Iruka huffed as he laid back down. “I’m fine.”   
“I could request they sedate the pair of you for disobeying Anbu orders.”   
Iruka actually laughed at that. “You haven’t given any orders Raccoon, just suggestions and it’s not like I’m trying to break him out of here or anything. I haven’t done anything wrong.”   
Kakashi snorted. “I think he’s going to have something to say about that...And from what you’ve already fessed up to, I think Hawk will too.”   
Raccoon chuckled as Kakashi put a damper on his own lover’s rebuttal. “Quit while your still behind kid, don’t need to dig that hole any deeper.”   
Iruka sighed. “Should have had them sedate you and put up a damn barrier.” The man muttered sourly.   
“Hey now, I thought you missed me.” Kakashi was laughing even as Iruka glanced back up at him.   
“I did, but you’re being a brat.” Raccoon coughed, earning him a steely look from Iruka. “And you’re being nosy.”   
The Anbu snorted. “Kid, you’ve about run out of my patience.”   
Iruka made a face before turning his attention back to Kakashi. “Nap or I let them drug you.”   
Kakashi was quick to counter his own deal. “Nap with me or I’ll let him drug you.” He jerked a thumb towards Raccoon.   
Iruka thought about it a moment, wincing when Raccoon muttered. “If you say the word barrier kid, so help me I will make you regret it.”   
“Nap?” Iruka countered towards Kakashi.   
“Nap.” He nodded before turning towards Shikaku. “Hold the masses at bay for me would you?”   
Shikaku chuckled. “I’ll do my best, but his ass is theirs come tomorrow.”   
“Once I’m in surgery he’s all yours.”   
“HEY!”   
Kakashi gave the Chunin a look, Iruka huffed and didn’t say anything. Nodding his head Kakashi turned his attention back to his comrade. “Tomorrow.”   
Shikaku gave a nod. “Sure thing.” He turned towards Iruka and in a meditative tone asked. “What kind of ramen you want tomorrow?”   
Iruka shrugged causing the Anbu to sigh in an irritated manner, Kakashi rolled his eyes. “Beef, he wants beef.”   
Shikaku gave a nod. “Thank you.” He sent a perturbed look towards Iruka before tacking on. “Don’t even think about running tomorrow and if you put up a barrier, me and Hawk will break it.”   
Iruka gave a silent nod, with a shake of his head the Anbu gave a nod to Kakashi and disappeared. Kakashi chuckled when Iruka collapsed back against him, the muffled words ‘ _ traitor _ ’ being heard through the cloth.   
“Hey, I didn’t let him cart you off.”   
Iruka snorted. “He couldn’t have if he tried.”   
Kakashi frowned a moment before sighing when he realized what that meant. “Put the damn barrier down right now or-.”   
Iruka chuckled against his chest seemingly ignoring the threat that his lover was issuing towards him because he found it amusing to know that neither of them had noticed.   
“Not funny.” Kakashi muttered back at the Chunin who seemed far too amused at his own actions, Iruka canted his head up and with a wry grin replied.   
“I think you need better Anbu.” Irkua stretched himself up to give him a peck on the lips.    
Kakashi blinked before connecting the Chunin’s words with his previous declaration about his oblivious doctor. Snorting Kakashi smiled back at Iruka.   
“Cute.”   
Iruka nodded. “He didn’t notice.”   
“You’re lucky he didn’t, is it gone?” As if wanting to test it for himself Kakashi reached out with his free hand to see if there was a barrier around them. He didn’t feel anything but Iruka could have easily kept it just outside of the bed and since Shikaku had kept some distance that meant he had no proof of whether or not Iruka took it down. He cast a worried look towards his lover only for Iruka to shake his head.   
“It’s gone.”   
Kakashi sighed in relief now that he knew Iruka wasn’t going to be wasting chakra he most likely didn’t have. He as going to have to talk to Shikaku about that, Iruka shouldn’t have been allowed to get away with that. That was for later though and right now he and Iruka were both in dire need of some rest.

With a smile, Kakashi broached the subject again. “So...Nap?”   
Iruka smiled. “Nap.” Laying his head down on Kakashi’s chest once more, Iruka sighed. “I’m still mad at you.”   
Kakashi chuckled, hadn’t had any doubts about the Chunin still being mad at him. It would take a while before Iruka would feel comfortable enough to forgive him, but he had a good amount of leeway at least until he was recovered from the surgery. “I know, I’m still sorry.”   
“I know.”   
Iruka gave a contented sound as he curled up against Kakashi, the Anbu shifting himself a bit while tightening his arm around Iruka. He stared up at the ceiling a moment, waiting. Ten minutes elapsed before he tilted his head down to make sure, Iruka was out. Smiling Kakashi closed his eyes, a nap sounded pretty good especially since he wasn’t alone.    
  
  
  



End file.
